ADDIS ABABA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has condemned a failed coup attempt in Ethiopia's Amhara regional state that killed senior federal and regional government officials.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, "wishes to express his deepest condolences to the families of the national figures killed in the tragic events that occurred on Saturday in the Amhara region and in the capital Addis Ababa," according to an AU statement.
The pan-African bloc's statement, issued late Wednesday, followed the failed attempt on June 22 to overthrow the Amhara region's governance structure, which left at least six federal and regional government officials dead, including the Amhara regional state president, Ambachew Mekonen, chief of staff of the Ethiopian defense forces, Seare Mekonen, and other high-level Ethiopian officials.
The AU "reiterated the steadfast support of the African Union Commission to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the government of Ethiopia in their pursuit of the national reform and reconciliation agenda in the country," the statement said.
Also killed in the coup attempt were a retired major-general, Geza'e Abera, Ezez Wassie, an adviser to the Amhara region's president, and Migbaru Kebede, attorney general of the Amhara regional state.
While the three Amhara regional government officials were killed in the regional capital, Bahir Dar, the army chief of staff and Abera were killed in the capital, Addis Ababa, according to Ethiopian Minister of Defense Lemma Megersa.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the failed coup was orchestrated by Brig.-Gen. Asaminew Tsige, the intelligence and security chief of the Amhara regional state.
Tsige "has been shot dead on the outskirt of the regional capital Bahir Dar," the government said on Tuesday.
